Biggest little Japanese restaurant in Texas.

[lochaven]

Hayashi is located in Cameron a small town in Central Texas. We spend long weekends and holidays at our cabin located near here. We had passed this place by for about a year before deciding to stop and were very surprised. A very good restaurant opened by a retired chef who operated a restaurant in Houston. He moved out here, opened this place, and enjoys cooking great food for locals. Yesterday we enjoyed a 10 course dinner which most items were off menu. Two hours, saki and great company resulted in a memorable evening. We actually live about 150 miles from here, but always come by his restaurant when we're out here. Lighting in the restaurant was low and not the best for pictures but great for the ambiance. Also, as soon as we walked in they threw a CD in the player with 40's 50's japanese music. It was great.

Just general descriptions with each pic, but be sure everything was fresh, complex in flavors, and beautiful to look at.

A rolled tamago sheet around a cooked white fish and nori. Notice the tiny broccoli floret on the ginger made into a flower.

A deep fried fish mousse coated, with strip of nori. The green decoration is made from cucumber skin in addition to the sculptured tomato.

Shrimp and vegetable tempura. Delicious as always.

Sashimi of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and snapper.

A soup in an orange warmed by a small flame at table to infuse the broth with orange flavor.

Opened.

A snapper croquet with a fish foam and a five-spice reduction.

A dashi broth based soup. With boiled daikon and a pork dumpling.

Called a Flower Sushi, very tender cabbage leaves surounds the rice noodles embedded with smoked, tamago and a prepared mayonnaise.

Finally, a fruit bowl with apples, cantaloup, grapefruit and those green things which I can't remember as we were so full. The meal was accompanied by saki and hot green tea throughout. One of those special things in life for a foodie.

[Twyst]

Very interesting. Im in austin and despite having uchi/uchiko here im tempted to make the drive out there to try this place! Looks great!

[lochaven]

Twyst: Sent you a pm with additional information.

[haresfur]

Wow! Thanks for the report. Does the regular menu make adjustments for local tastes?

[lochaven]

The regular menu has a fair amount of items I've not seen in large city restaurant menus. So it really goes in the other direction of adjusting for local taste. Also there is no oriental community here, which makes this place a surprise.